The Newest Shepherd
by Scuttlest
Summary: The first assignment led by the tactician ends in complete success. As a gift, the Shepherds plan to give him something special to help him feel welcome. FE13.


**Well, having owned Awakening for two weeks now, and with three runs of the game under my belt (all on Hard/Classic) I suppose it's time to get back to FE writing.**

**Just a quick and simple story I wrote up on the side while I'm collecting ideas for Awakening fanfics. I personally feel this story links somewhat awkwardly, but, eh.**

**Kind of AU, if only because there's really not a point in time in the actual game this story could have occured at.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

A bolt generated from a Thunder tome appeared and started to move with high speed. In moments, the arcane electricity impacted the chest of a brigand, whose only armor on top of his chest was a few weak strands of fabric.

The brigand chief let out a cry of pain as his legs buckled and he collapsed. The Plegian groaned as his life starting to bleed out with a chilling speed, his chest fried to an extent that perhaps not even the greatest cleric in the world could heal.

The new tactician of the Shepherds, a red haired man named Rain, took a breath as he closed his Thunder tome. The fingers the spell had coursed through still twitched with arcane energy, but the feeling of power was starting to leave him. The wandering bandits were defeated on their way to a Ylisse village that would have been otherwise helpless against the marauders.

This was his first assignment as an official Shepherd, and it had ended in complete success. None of the Shepherds had died or even been seriously wounded, at best a few had been nicked, though nicked hard enough to be bleeding, cloth and rags would be used for those minor wounds. Rain briefly wondered how different things would have gone if Chrom had been the one making the orders of who moved where and when they attacked, but the prince seemed to have no issue with Rain calling the shots on the battlefield.

Still, even if he controlled the Shepherd's battle plan, and his performance was integral to battlefield success, he wasn't arrogant enough to try and say that his tactics were the sole reason they won. Everyone contributed, and he would make a point to find a moment to praise everyone for their efforts. For one, they deserved the praise, and it would boost their morale to know that their tactician thought well of their performance.

As he was thinking, a large, beefy arm suddenly wrapped around his neck. Rain was startled for a moment, thinking that a final bandit had escaped his noticed, but realized quickly enough who had grabbed him.

A hearty laugh came from 'Teach' as he suddenly started to shake the tactician enthusiastically. "You were smart to put the Vaike on the frontline. Those bandits didn't even get a chance to swing their weapons."

"Ah, V-Vaike-" Rain had no issue with enthusiasm, but Vaike's arm was starting to choke the tactician. The hearty man didn't even seem to hear the tactician starting to gag. Eventually, and with some help from Sully, Rain managed to free himself from Vaike's grip.

As Rain was starting to breath comfortably again, a hand clasped his shoulder. Rain turned to see Chrom. "Well, your first assignment went smoothly enough." Chrom complimented. His smile was warm, despite the death that was surrounding them. "Hopefully your performance put to rest any doubts anyone had for our tactician."

Rain managed to chuckle. "Well, I certainly have no reason to doubt anyone's skill anymore." He looked around as the Shepherds started to collect around him and Chrom. "Everyone's performance was praiseworthy." He looked around, everyone seemed pleased at the words, and then Rain noticed one Shepherd on the side, looking like she believed that she wasn't one of the people getting praised.

"You don't need to look so left out, Sumia. I included you in that statement." Rain said to the girl standing on the sidelines.

The Pegasus Knight almost flinched. "Um, t-thank you. You really thought I did good?"

"No, I made my praise all up." Rain said teasingly. "Yes, I was impressed with your performance. You're just as worthy of the praise as everyone else, and you took on your share of brigands."

Chrom stepped beside Rain and nodded at the girl. Sumia's face lit up at the two leaders of the army deciding that she had performed admirably. Rain was a little surprised at how much of a confidence boost the words were for the girl, but said nothing more.

"Today's mission is done. We should be heading back now." Chrom said. He smiled at his tactician. "When we're back, I want to do something special to recognize the success of Rain's first operation."

Chrom started to walk past Rain, who briefly bowed his head as his brow furrowed. "Something… special?" Rain thought for a moment, and then his head snapped back up. "W-wait, are you trying to throw me some kind of party? Please don't-"

"It's not a party." Chrom reassured, chuckling slightly. "The Shepherds are just going to do something nice for you."

"Um…" Rain stood a little apprehensive, not warming to the idea, but not protesting either. "Okay, then."

"Hey!" One of the Shepherds suddenly cried out. "The Vaike doesn't remember getting anything special for his first assignment."

Lissa narrowed her eyes slightly. "That's because all of us nearly died the first time you were on the field."

Rain looked at the Ylissean princess. "Um, what happened the first time Vaike was on a mission?"

"I'm not really sure _what_ happened." Lissa grumbled. "I _do_ know that Emm had to have a few dozen clerics get the Shepherds back on their feet after that incident."

"It couldn't have been that bad." Vaike tried to defend himself. "I remember it going pretty well."

"I thought I would never walk again!" Lissa snapped. She gritted her teeth briefly, then took a composing breath and turned to Rain, who, to her annoyance, looked like he was ready to laugh. "Anyway, we'll come up with something special for you back at the barracks."

Rain nodded. He felt his heart lightened at Vaike's complaint and Lissa's response. "Alright. Let's go."

* * *

"Hold on, you want Sully to be his cook?" Chrom went over what he had just heard from his little sister. "We want to let Rain feel welcome, not poison him."

Lissa grinned. "Don't worry, he'll only have to take one bit of Sully's food. I'll have something special for him after that." Something was cooking in Lissa's mind, perhaps something just as unsavory as Sully's idea of a well cooked meal. "It's just how we're going to welcome him to Shepherd meal time. I have something that will let me swoop in and save him from eating what's going to be put in front of him."

Chrom shook his head. "It's hard to believe a princess would pull pranks like this." His face grew exasperated. "Fine."

* * *

"Pick any seat you want, Rain." Stahl said as they reached the long table the Shepherds normally ate at as a group. "The captain and Lissa want to make this your night, so you get first pick for where to sit while everyone else is busy preparing."

"Thanks." Rain looked at the chairs, wondering where he should sit. Just a random chair would do, no need to sit somewhere that would make him the center of attention. Perhaps something fairly close to the middle of the table, but not the exact middle. After he sat down, the other Shepherds would likely shuffle in later.

"And the sooner you learn what her cooking is like, the better."

Rain turned. "What?"

"Oh, uh, nothing." Stahl smirked. Rain did not like that smile at all, it felt like he was being set up.

"Wait, who's cooking?"

"You'll see."

* * *

"Needs more spice." Sully said as she looked over the food she was cooking. Food that… did not look like 'food' so much as brown, sludgy liquid. A description that used the term 'liquid' loosely. Sully, who seemed blind to how possibly toxic this meal could be, optimistically grabbed spice jars and started to put them in.

Ricken, who was watching every crime Sully committed against the culinary world, found the courage to speak at this point. "Um, Sully, aren't you just supposed to put a little spice in?"

"We want this to be a night our tactician remembers." Sully answered. "The stew needs as much flavor as possible."

"But… you're not really putting the spice in, you're, uh-" Sully continued what she was doing as Ricken's voice trailed off. Sully wasn't opening the bottles to pour spice out, she was just tossing the still sealed bottles and jars into the pot. Of course, this was far from the only atrocity she was committing, as she tossed in many vegetables without properly chopping them up, and seemed to have no interest in actually stirring the putrid concoction she was making.

Sully looked at what she was cooking. Spice bottles were submerged underneath sludge, carrots were stiff in the impossible to stomach sight. Ricken almost felt like they were trying to assassinate Rain with this. Just adding poison to otherwise good tasting food would have shown more respect for Rain, and would have been less likely to kill him.

_And Lissa insisted that Sully be the cook._ Ricken closed his eyes, feeling an uncomfortable reaction in his stomach. _I know she can be a little impish, but does Lissa want to kill Rain?_

* * *

Eventually, the other Shepherds were sitting at the table with Rain. Chrom sat right beside Rain on the tactician's left side, the chair to his right was still vacant. That chair would likely be filled by Lissa, Sully, or Sumia, none of which had come to the table to sit yet.

They were busy swapping stories about today's battle. Vaike was giving rather blown out of proportion stories of his part in the battle, and how victory had hinged entirely on him. Miriel responded to Vaike's claims with matter-of-fact corrections to remind everyone of just how many times someone had to jump in and save the man when he got into trouble.

Eventually Sully and Lissa walked in.

"I hope you're hungry, Rain. All this food is for you." Lissa said, a very… devilish, smile was on her face. "_Just_ for you."

Rain tilted his head at Lissa's tone. Some quiet laughter came from all around the table. Rain felt a sharp knife of discomfort pierce him, and realized he was outside some in-joke.

Sumia walked in, carrying a large pot. She took a deep breath and looked at the table just a few feet away from you. _Alright. _She prepped herself for this in her mind. _This is important. Rain thought my battle performance was good. I want him to think I'm good off the field too. If I can just get this pot to the table without anything happening…_

She started to walk forward, wearing an enthusiastic expression on her face that she hoped looked convincing. As she moved, Lissa's eyes gravitated to a piece of paper lying on the floor. Almost immediately after Lissa realized what would happen, Sumia stepped on the paper, the paper moved slightly and Sumia lost her balance and fell forward.

"Ah!" Rain looked up as the pot went flying through the air, and started to fall directly toward him. He didn't have time to get up and avoid the falling pot, and it instead crashed onto his head, the contents of the pot came straight out, splashing across his chest, arms, and lap.

Slowly, Rain lifted his arms and tilted the pot up so he could see forward. "That… almost seemed planned out. Is this some kind of welcome tradition?"

"Rai-oh, I'm sorry, sorry!" Sumia got up and rushed over to the tactician. "Don't worry, I'll dry you off, just sit there for a moment." She pulled out a rag and started to try and remove the gunk that had covered Rain's face. Rain flinched as the cloth started to wipe his cheek.

"Um, Sumia?" Ricken spoke up, noticing something Sumia apparently didn't.

"Hold on, I'm trying to-"

"Sumia, that's one of the bloody rags we used for a minor wound from today's battle." Ricken said.

Sumia paused, then looked and saw that Rain's face was getting smeared red, then just started to tremble. Rain started to think that Sumia was going to pass out on the spot from embarrassment, either that or start crying. He reached a hand out to the girl's shoulder before she could do anything. "Why don't you just… take a seat in the chair next to me?"

"Y-you don't mind sitting next to a disaster zone like me?" She looked miserable, and unwilling to look right at Rain's face.

"Just sit down, Sumia. Water under the bridge." He tried to sound reassuring, raising his other hand to encourage her to sit. Sumia eventually took the chair, taking a deep breath and just staring into her lap. Rain looked ahead and noticed that Lissa had an offended expression. She had probably been planning on taking that seat herself. Or perhaps she was upset that her plan didn't work out as she intended it to. Rain suspected that Lissa was the ring leader of what was happening. He took a moment to look for the first time at the food that was all over him, food that seemed to say 'Yes, I _will_ make you vomit uncontrollably.'.

Lissa walked forward. "Aw, now Rain doesn't get any food to eat." She suddenly perked up with what Rain was certain was the single most utterly fake look of happy surprise he had ever seen. "Fortunately, some more food arrived in packages just minutes ago. Someone help me get it?"

Stahl and Ricken rose from their chairs and followed Lissa out of the room. Rain took a moment to wipe some of Sully's food off of his shoulders. He could _swear_ some of it was moving by itself…

In minutes, Lissa came back with food that looked like it was actually edible. She and Ricken and Stahl began spreading it across the table for all the Shepherds. Rain looked at the food that was put in front of him. A very tasty looking chunk of beef accompanied by a goblet filled with spring water.

"Do you… want more food?" Sumia asked him, looking desperate for some way to make up for the spill and the face smearing to Rain. Rain looked at her, a part of his face still a blood red thanks to this girl, and smiled.

"It's enough that you care enough to offer, but don't let me take your food from you. We should all start eating, Sumia." The Pegasus Knight managed to make a nervous smile, then the air was violated with a loud burp from Vaike.

"So, what do you think of the Shepherds, Rain?" Chrom leaned to Rain to ask the question after swallowing his first bite of meat.

"Dysfunctional and crazy." Rain said, frankly. "And I think I'm very happy to count myself as one of you."

* * *

**Regarding the Avatar's name in this story, this is just a personal trait of mine. Whenever I play games that allow me to name characters, I name male characters with a 'water' theme. (Lead male character is 'Rain', other males get called things like 'Flood', 'Torrent', 'Stream', and etc. Female characters get named with an 'ice' theme. (Lead female is 'Hail', other females get called things like 'Icicle', 'Glacier', 'Sleet', and etc.) My future FE13 stories will also use the Rain name, or Hail, on the off chance I write a story with a female Avatar. If I ever touch Rekka No Ken with its tactician, I'll continue to use the Rain name.**

**Somewhat amusing to me, Rain and Hail match each other, rain being water that falls from clouds, hail being ice that falls from clouds.**

**I don't like to think of the Avatar as a self-insert. In any game that offers a character creation feature, I'll give the character my red hair, but none of my features beyond that. Though, it took me a while to determine which hair color in Awakening was red, due to my color-blindness. I assumed that color 4 was red, but at some point I came to a sudden realization of 'Wait a minute, this is green!' I believe color 2 is the deepest red... I wish the game would let me have that bright red that Cecila's 3D-model is sporting in the DLC chapters. Tsk.**

**Anyway, please review.**


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